GK TODAY(27-8-2015)

GK TODAY(27-8-2015)

1. ISRO successfully launches GSLV-D6 carrying GSAT-6 satellite

   -The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D6) has successfully blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Sriharikota, near Chennai.

   -This is the third time the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) is being carried onboard during a GSLV flight.

2. Novak Djokovic new UNICEF goodwill ambassador

    - Reigning world tennis champion Novak Djokovic became a new goodwill ambassador for the UN Fund for Children, joining a roster of athletes and celebrities to hold the post.

 3. Airtel acquires Augere to strengthen 4G footprint

    -Bharti Airtel on Wednesday said it has agreed to acquire Augere Wireless Broadband India (Augere) in a deal that will allow it to take its 4G operations to nine circles.

   -Augere holds 20 MHz of broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum in the telecom circles of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

  

4. Union Cabinet cleared 4 months extension for 7th Pay Commission

   -Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26 August 2015 gave 4 months extension (up to 31 December 2015) to the 7th Central Pay Commission. Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur is the Chairman of the Commission.

5. Govt releases smart cities list: 13 cities from UP, 12 from Tamil Nadu, 3 from Bihar included

   -The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government on Thursday unveiled the list of 98 cities that will be part of its ambitious Smart Cities project. Union Minister of Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu released the list of 98 cities, including 13 cities from Uttar Pradesh and 12 from Tamil Nadu.

   - Other cities include 10 from Maharashtra, 7 from Madhya Pradesh ,3 each from Bihar & Andhra Pradesh.

6. Kazakhstan To Host First Nuclear Fuel Bank

   -The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to create the world's first internationally-controlled bank of low-enriched uranium in the ex-Soviet nation to ensure fuel supplies for power stations and prevent nuclear proliferation.

   -The agreement on establishing the bank was signed by Yukiya Amano, director general of the UN nuclear watchdog, and Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov on August 27 in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

7. Dilip Vengsarkar elected president of cricket statisticians body

   -Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has been elected unopposed as the president of the Association of Indian Statisticians and scorers of India at its AGM.

   -Vengsarkar is also the vice president of the Mumbai Cricket Association.

   -Elected members: President - Dilip Vengsarkar; Vice-presidents - Dara Pochkhanawalla and Ganesh Iyer; Secretary   - Theo Braganza (Mumbai); Joint secretary - Deepak Joshi (Mumbai); Treasurer - Ajit Datar (Mumbai); Managing committee members - Prakash Dahatonde, Harish Thakkar (both Mumbai), Kanti Sutar, Tushar Trivedi (both from Gujarat Dilip Singh Upring (from Vidarbha); Co-opted members - Hari Makhija and Ajay Kavitkar (both from Maharashtra)

8. Vikas Gowda enters discus final at World Athletics Championships

   -Two-time Asian Championships gold medallist Vikas Gowda expectedly reached the discus throw final with a best attempt of 63.86 metres in the qualifiers at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday.

   - Taking part in Group A of the qualifiers, Gowda threw 63.84m in his second attempt, 0.02m short of the first, while his third opportunity was disqualified.

   - Seven discus throwers qualified for the final from Group A while five from Group B out of a total of 31 participants.

   -Gowda's personal best throw of 66.28m is also the Indian national record which he achieved in 2012 at Norman, United States.

   -Gowda was the only Indian in action on Thursday at the world meet.